Awning tip protector



LE ROY E. JUSTUS 2,724,874

AWNING TIP PROTECTOR Nov. 29, 1955 Filed Oct. 9, 1953 INVENTOR. AEEOY E-Jusrus WZQWZMJZMMZ Um'adem Arraelve'vs United States Patent AWNING TIPPROTECTOR Le Roy E. Justus, Lima, Ohio Application October 9, 1953,Serial No. 385,048

4 Claims. (Cl. 2057.5)

This invention relates to awnings of the type having a. plurality ofparallel strips of hard material terminating in depending tips and abracing bar adjacent the tips and more particularly to a protector forthe awning tips.

Awnings of this type are practically indestructible since they are madeof some hard material such as metal, fiber glass or plastic, however thetips formed about the bottom of the awning may be willfully bent andthereby broken off. When one or more of these tips have been broken off,it is necessary to replace the entire section which is costly andfurther when painted will not exactly match the weathered paint of theremainder of the awnmg.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide aprotector for the awning tips which will reinforce the tips in suchmanner that bending of the awning tip is exceedingly difficult in aninward direction whichis usually the direction in which they are bent.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an awning tipprotector which is of simple yet rugged construction, easily attached toexisting awning structures without requiring a skilled technician, andwhich may readily be made of the same material as the awning if sodesired.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an awning tipprotector capable of economical manufacture and which may beincorporated into the awning at the time of manufacture of the awning.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description, forming the specification, and taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view looking into the interior of an awningwith a plurality of the awning tip protectors embodying this inventionincorporated therein;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the awning tipprotector.

In Figure 1, there is show an awning or valance or canopy, generallyindicated at of the type having a plurality of connected strips 12 inparallel relation to each other and made of a hard material such asaluminum or other metal, fiber glass or a suitable plastic material. Thestrips 12 may be offset one from the other alternately, as presentlyshown, or may be arranged in any other suitable or desired relation tocause a decorative effect, however, in any case, the strips 12 will liein planes parallel one to the other. Each of the strips 12 extenddownwardly and outwardly from the surface upon which the awning 10 is tobe supported and terminate in a depending tip 14, the tips 14 normallybeing spaced one from the other across the bottom of the awning.

The awning, as shown in Figure 1, may also be provided with a pair ofspaced vertical side members 16 dependingly carried on opposite sides ofthe main body 18 "ice of the awning 10, or the awning may consist ofmerely the main body 18. In any event, there is provided along with suchawnings, a bracing cross bar 20 adjacent the tips 14 but spaced from theterminal end of the tips; the cross bar 20 extending across the entirelength of the awning, and in the present case having laterally disposedlegs, such as leg 22, to extend across the side members, such as sidemembers 16, if the awning is so constructed as to have side members.

In order to reinforce the tips 14 against willful bending thereof, theawning tip protector, generally indicated at 24 of this invention, isprovided. The protector 24 is of one-piece construction and may bemolded or cast from the same material as the awning 10, .if so desired,and has, in the form shown in Figure 2, a head portion 26 and a leg 28dependingly carried by the head 26 and arranged between the bracingcross bar 20, and in the present instance, alternate ones of the tips14,and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, these alternate tips 14 are thosewhich are offset with respect to the other tips and are spaced due tothe offset from the bracing cross bar 20. The protector 24 is made of afiat, relatively narrow piece of material and is generally L-shaped inoutline.

The narrow face 30 of the protector 24 is in abutting relation to thealternate offset tips 14 thereby reinforcing these tips against bending.The head 26 of the protector 24 is provided with a recess 32 adapted toreceive one leg 34 of the T-shaped bracing cross bar 20 and with anextension 36 on the head 26 extending downwardly therefrom in generallyparallel spaced relation to the leg 28 so as to contact the innersurface 38 of the cross piece or head of the T-shaped bracing cross bar,as shown in Figure 2. The protector 24 is so formed that a transversesection 40 connects the side of the leg 28 remote from the tip 14 withtheadjacent side wall of the recess 32 and is of such extent as to beslightly longer than the stem 42 of the bracing cross bar 20. It shouldbe noted at this point, that the slot or recess 32 and the section 40may be altered so as to be adaptable to accommodate various shapes inthe bracing cross bar 20 other than the T-shape presently shown.

An aperture 44 is provided adjacent the lower end of the extension 36 ofthe head 26 and receives therein a screw 46 to secure the head 26 to theleg 35 of the head or cross piece of the bracing cross bar 20 byentering a suitable opening therein in register with the aperture 44through the extension 36. A hook 48 is dependingly carried by the leg 28of the protector 24 so that the hook portion thereof extends laterallyfrom and generally parallel to the face 30 to define a slot 50 whichreceives the lowermost portion of the awning tip 14 to which theprotector 24 is connected. A screw 52 secures the body or leg portion ofthe hook 48, which is coplanar with the face 30, to the awning tip 14adjacent the lower end thereof, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

In the present awning construction, it may be assumed that the bracingcross bar 20 will be carried by the awning by being secured in anydesired manner to the alternate strips 12 occurring between the stripscarrying the tips 14 with which the tip protectors 24 are operativelyassociated. It is apparent from the foregoing, that in the form ofawning tip protector shown in Figures 1 and 2 there has been provided ahead having a recess therein adapted to be received upon the cross bar20 and a leg 28 dependingly carried by the head 26 and arranged betweenthe cross and one of the awning tips in abutting relation to the tip toreinforce the tip 14 against bending and secured in this relation by thescrews 46 and 52. In connection with the use of the screws 52, it isoptional as to whether these screws will be employed or omitted.

In the form shown in Figure 3, the protector for the awning tips isgenerally indicated at 54 and comprises a head 56 having a recess 58therein adapted to be received upon the cross bar 20. with a transversesection 60 adapted to overlie the stem 42 of the cross bar 20, therecess 58 and transverse section 40 being similar in all respects totherecess or slot-32 and the transverse section 40 of the awning,tipprotector 24.

The head 56 dependingly carries a leg 62 having a narrow straight frontface, similar to the face 30, adapted to be arranged between the crossbar and one of the awning tips 14 in the same manner as the leg, 28 ofthe tip protector 24. An outwardly arcuately formed extension 64 iscarried by the leg 62 and depends downwardly therefrom with its. frontface being considerably wider than the front face of the leg 62 andcoplanar therewith. The extension 64 carries at its lower end a hookextending outwardly from and in spaced relation to the front faceof theleg 62 and substantially across the width of the extension 64 to form aslot or recess 68 in which the terminal end of the awning tip 14 may bereceived when the protector 54 is applied thereto.

The flattened or widened extension 64 is provided with a pair of alignedopenings 70 disposed on either side of the leg, 62 permitting attachmentof the extension 64 to the awning tip 14 adjacent the lower end thereofby means of screws, such as the screw 52. In similar manner to the formshown in Figures 1 and 2, the awning tip projector 54 has its head 56provided with an extension 72 depending from the end thereof remote fromthe face adapted to abut against the selected awning tip 14, andprovided with an aperture 74 extending transversely therethrough andadapted to receive a screw securing the head 56 upon the bracing crossbar 20 in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 2.

The head 56 carries an arcuate tongue 76 extending upwardly andrearwardly therefrom and forming acontinuation of the front face of theprotector 54 so as to be in abutting relation with that portion of theselected strip 12 at the point or location where it iscurved downwardlyinto the tip 14, and the tongue 76 is provided with an opening 78adapted to receive a screw securing the tongue 76 to the indicatedportion of the selected strip 12.

The form of the awning protector tip shown in Figure 3 is desirabletouse where the awning extension islong or where the awning is made oflight weight material so as to afford additional reinforcing supportwhere necessary so that either the extension or flange 64 may be securedto the awning tip 14 or the tongue 76 secured to the awning strip 12, orboth the extension or flange 64 and the tongue 76 may be secured to theawning.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the awning tipprotector'of either of the two forms may be incorporated. into anexisting awning and so carried by th'e awning as to provide adequatereinforcement to the awning tips to prevent willful bending of theawning tips, and since the hook members 48 and 66 in the respectiveforms overlie the terminal end of the selected awning tip 14, willfulbending of the tips outwardly will be made exceedingly difficult. Inaddition, the hook members are-not only designed to protect the tip frombeingbent outwardly but also may act as a trim or ornament according tothe chosen design of the awning, and the hooked portions 48 and 66respectively, will also act as a gauge in locating the cross bar 20 sothat the entire assembly will be more efficient in protecting the awningtips.

It should also be borne in mind, that the awning tip protector, ashereinbefore described, can be incorporated into the bar itself by themanufacturer, thus doing away with separate protectors for each sectionof the awning or valance 10.

With regard to securing the leg 28 or the leg 62 to the awning tip 14 byscrews passing through the hook.

member or the extension 64, the screws may be em- Cit 4 ployed anywherealong the length of the legs 28 or 62 where either of these legs. are incontact with the inner surface of the awning tip 14.

While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible tochange and modification within the practicability of the invention andtherefore should be limited only by the scope of the claims appendedhereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A tip protector for awnings of the type having a plurality ofparallel strips of hard material terminating in depending tipsand abracing cross bar adjacent said tips, said tip protector comprising ahead having a recess therein adapted to be received upon said cross bar,a leg dependingly carried by said head arranged between said cross barand a selected one of said awning tips in abutting relation to said tipthereby reinforcing said tip against inward bending, and a hook membercarried by said leg at the lower end thereof adapted to receivetheterminal end of said selected awning tip to preventoutward bendingthereof.

2. A tip protector for awnings of the type having a plurality ofparallel strips of hard material terminating in depending tips and abracing cross bar adjacent said tips, said tip protector comprising ahead having a recess therein adapted to be received upon said cross bar,a leg dependingly carried by said head arranged between said cross barand a selected one of said awning tips in abutting relation to said tipthereby reinforcing said tip against inward bending, and a hook membercarried by said leg at the lower end thereof adapted to receive theterminal endof said selected awning tip to prevent outward bendingthereof, means securing said tip protector to said cross bar and meansto secure said protector to said awning tip.

3. A tip protector for awnings of the typehaving a plurality of parallelstrips of hard material terminating in depending tips and a bracingcross bar adjacent said tips, said tip protector comprising a headhaving a recess therein adapted to be received upon said cross bar, alegdependingly carried by said head arranged between said cross bar and aselected one of said awning tips in abutting relation to said tipthereby reinforcing said tip against inward bending, and a hook membercarried by said legat the lower end thereof adapted to receive theterminal end of said selected awning tip to prevent outward bendingthereof, an arcuately formed tongue carried by said head extendingtherefrom in a direction away from said hook member and arranged inabutting relation with the juncture of the awning strip and awning tipwas to reinforce the awning at this location.

4. A tip protector for awnings of the type having a plurality ofparallel strips of hard material terminating in depending tips and abracing cross bar adjacent said tips, said tip protector comprising ahead having a recess therein adapted to be received upon said crossbar,a leg dependingly carried by said head arranged between said cross barand a selected one of said awning tips in abutting relation to said tipthereby reinforcing said tip against inward bending, and a hook membercarried by said leg at the lower end thereofadapted to receive theterminal end of said selected awning tip to prevent outward bendingthereof, anarcuately formed tongue carried by said head extendingtherefrom in a direction away from said hook member and arranged inabutting relation with the juncture of the awning strip and awning tipso as to reinforce the awning at this location, and means securing saidtongue to said awning strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,548,061 Pfeifer Aug. 4, 1925 2,632,213 Manley et al. Mar. 24, 1953

